[b said:
Quote[/b] (zonadrill @ Dec. 14 2005,13:53)]Hi. I am thinking of spending the money on a german ppk that I intend to carry and shoot at the range. What is considered the better pistol, the .380 or the .32. Is there that much difference in stopping power? I have heard the .32 is more reliable than the .380 and there is the extra round for whatever that is worth. What is your opinion. (p.s. I do not like the s&w ppk, though i could live with the ppk/s).
There is a difference in "stopping power", yes. The .32ACP is an outmoded cartridge, really. Today's .380 is just about as powerful as some 9mm's, and all manner of JHP and JSP exist to complement your pistol. As with any weapon, ask yourself
for what reason you are acquiring it (ex. I got my PPK/S as a range toy). I have fired the PPK in .32, as well as my PPK/S in .32 and .380, so I'll give you my review:
The .32 is a nice little round. It's certainly a useable cartridge for purposes of self-defense, if you value shot placement. It's peppy, and you will feel a good amount of muzzle flip and recoil with the PPK and PPK/S, more than a .25 or .22LR, but certainly controllable with practice. There are lots of good, cheap German PPK's and PPK/S's in .32.
The .380 is small, yet very hot round. You can get ammunition from 80-something gr to over 100gr ! This makes it a very heavy, powerful round in a blowback action, with significant muzzle flip and recoil. It's is a worthy self-defense cartridge. The PPK/S hurts after 75-100 shots of .380, I'm finding out. If you really want a .380 for backup or carry, I suggest you try out the Glock G28 or the Bersa Thunder, as someone else mentioned.
Come back and let us know what you purchased !